Book Description
In White Like Me, Tim Wise offers a highly personal examination of the ways in which racial privilege shapes the lives of most white Americans, overtly racist or not, to the detriment of people of color, themselves, and society. The book shows the breadth and depth of the phenomenon within institutions such as education, employment, housing, criminal justice, and healthcare. By critically assessing the magnitude of racial privilege and its enormous costs, Wise provides a rich memoir that will inspire activists, educators, or anyone interested in understanding the way that race continues to shape the experiences of people in the U.S. Using stories instead of stale statistics, Wise weaves a narrative that is at once readable and scholarly, analytical and accessible.
Customer Reviews:
It will change your life.......2007-10-18
I present the face of white privilege, I am white and I am a male and I come from a family with money. I am also gay and a person living with AIDS and in both cases I've known stigma and discrimination. I didn't grow up in a family where racism was acceptable. Reading White Like Me:Reflections on Racism from a Privileged Son makes every thing I grew up with more apparent in this modern world. We still have a long long way to go.
Paolo Preston
Tucson, AZ
worthwhile but not spectacular.......2007-07-21
I had really hopes for this book. I thought it started off really well, then I found myself struggling to finish it. I got the feeling he hates his own white skin. A bit idealistic, but worth checking out.
Incredible book!.......2007-06-27
One of the most honest and profound books I have ever read on white privilege. Tim Wise does an incredible job explaining why white privilege needs to be dealt with if racism is going to continue to be dismantled and resisted. Definitely a must read!!!!! :)
Be Careful..........2007-06-15
Although I agree with the vast majority of the posts regarding the quality and insight of Wise's White Like Me, I think that, as a community of readers, teachers, activists and concerned citizens who loathe racial injustice, we must take care not to exalt Wise as THE authority on race and privilege in this country (basing this on another post that used similar language). Many African American scholars and writers - W.E.B. DuBoise, David Walker, Richard Wright, James Baldwin, Sonia Sanchez, Gwendolyn Brooks and Amiri Baraka - have been saying the same thing (from the black perspective) that Wise does in his book, and decades BEFORE Wise did. While I applaud Wise's courage, I think that we shouldn't fall into another white privilege trap, which is to exalt a white person for a revolutionary work on race, when this same type of revolutionary writing was done by people without privilege years ago. I would hate to think that we can only accept admissions of white privilege from whites, when people of color - who have suffered from it - took risks and challenged racism when the topic was far from vogue (dangerous, actually). There are many great thinkers and writers of color out there; read Wise, but supplement your knowledge from those who are survivors, too. Peace to my fellow activists of EVERY hue.
A Book That Will Open Your Mind.......2007-03-30
Tim Wise came to speak my school in the last month and what he said made a lot of sense to me. My school is largely white and he discussed to us, in his 30 minute speech, how white privilege has blinded us from the true problem.
At first I thought he didn't seem to have a point, so I went to his book to see what he actually meant. What I learned from his book "White Like Me" is that there is such a thing and that is something that has really opened my eyes to the world around me.
Tim Wise writes in his book about the way that being white has benefitted all white people, even in the most subtle ways. He argues that many of the advantages that we enjoy are because of our skin color and we should be aware of that. He also discusses that racism is a system that is in effect in our lives, a thing that we are surrounded by constantly. It is something that is futile to fight, but a system that we should always be aware of and do everything in our power to work within the system.
His book is well written and is filled with interesting anecdotes that support his theories. I found his book very interesting and I think is an important read for any white person in America. It makes the world that we live in just a little clearer and allow us to see the racism that is around us every day. Wise gives the reader the tools to fight the system and the knowledge to work with it.
Customer Reviews:
My daughter's favorite book.......2007-08-03
This awesome book shows children around the world and what their everyday life is like (homes, schools, families, pets, friends, churches, food). Having a daughter adopted internationally,this book helps us learn more about her birth country and about all the children of the world. We've started giving this as birthday gifts to her friends.
Very interesting.......2007-06-29
My 6 year old loves reading this book. It shows how children around the world dress, live, and play. It is interesting to see what other children like to do for fun, or what they like to eat. It is also teaching her about the different countries around the world.
Expanding Awareness.......2007-02-21
I hope that all children can someday enjoy this book with their friends and caring adults. It makes real the lives of children all around the world - their hopes, their dreams, their families and their daily routines. It's a delight to see our similarities and a great lesson to learn about our differences. Thank you to the authors and publishers.
Children Just Like Me.......2007-02-19
I purchased this book for my son Ben when he was 2 1/2 yrs. old. He is now 10 and my daughter Maria reads it continuously. This book is by far the best young children's awareness book about the differences and similarities between all children on this earth. I work for the YMCA and have purchased it for our summer camp so that the children coming to stay at Camp Silver Beach can learn more about the childhoods of the international counselors who are role models for them during the summer. At 2 1/2 years, my son knew the continents and could point out where "Ari or Celena" lived and tell me their favorite toys or food and point to the countries in which they live. This book is colorful and timeless expanding a child's view of the world and helping to instill the compassion we need to get along with all kinds of people.
A great way to introduce your children to the wider world.......2007-01-16
My family and I love this book so much I bought one for every set of cousins on our Christmas list. Our three year old daughter doesn't watch TV so this is a fantastic way for her to get a sense of the wider world....She's fascinated by the photos and stories of the children who dress and live so differently from her. And our older cousins can read the materials themselves. We very enthusiastically recommend this one!
Book Description
Bedtime Erotica for Freaks (like me) is written in the same distinctive style that has won Lexy many loyal fans but these stories are for sexual connoisseurs. Don’t let the word ‘Freaks’ put you off – it is simply a description of people who find eroticism in the 'unusual' like Lexy herself. This book starts off with a bang in Vanessa, a woman who lives out all her sexual fantasies and the no-holds-barred action continues until the very last page! Amanda, enslaves the man of her dreams while in disguise. Geraldine, a prostitute, has seen and done it all, she is going through the motions until Tiffany brings the joy back into her jaded existence. Indra ignores the basic rule of her job as a chatline operator and ventures into forbidden territory with a client. Nectar is too much woman for one man, so she has two. Antonia has a voracious sexual appetite that must be fed constantly and Samantha uses her sexual expertise to wreck as many homes as she can. These stories of women who follow their sexual destinies and damn everyone else will entice and titillate.
Customer Reviews:
Bedtime Erotica for Freaks (Like me).......2007-10-13
This book will give you evey angle from sexual enjoyment. If you like sex stories, this book is there for you!!!!!
Waste of money!.......2007-08-14
This book was the most poorly written, poorly edited book I have read in a long time - maybe forever! This author should read a few REAL erotica authors, like Emma Holly and Lora Leigh.
This book was such a disappointment and such a WASTE OF MONEY!. I love erotica. However, this was just trash. I could only read about 1/2 of the book. Then I threw it away! I would never give this book to someone. I would be insulting their intelligence. For those who thought this book was good - do yourself a favor and read some Emma Holly or Lora Leigh and find out what erotic fantasies are really about!
Not thrilled.......2007-07-31
This just isn't a book I could get into. The prose is littered with italics for emphasis and I found that very annoying. Also Harper's personal commentary at the ends of the stories was annoying, too.
This IS erotica, but there's MUCH better stuff out there. I recommend any of the "Best Women's Erotica" books or anything by Pretty Things Press over this drivel.
?.......2007-06-02
The author is definately black and is from the UK. I wasn't quite expecting that, but the book was HOT none the less. Just some of the slang and spelling was different. Bedtime Erotica, also by the same author was a tad bit better, if I had to choose one, I'd pick Bedtime Erotica over this, or just get both like I did. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
review.......2007-06-01
The book was okay, not as good as a Zane novel but okay none the less.
Book Description
In the Deep South of the 1950s, journalist John Howard Griffin decided to cross the color line. Using medication that darkened his skin to deep brown, he exchanged his privileged life as a Southern white man for the disenfranchised world of an unemployed black man. His audacious, still chillingly relevant eyewitness history is a work about race and humanity-that in this new millennium still has something important to say to every American.
Customer Reviews:
Deep Tension.......2007-08-04
John Howard Griffin is a man of deep thought and deep feelings. He wants to know what it's like to be separated from a priviledged world. As his skins becomes darker and darker, the less respected he becomes. He no longer is able to find a bathroom or even a glass of water because of the way he was "born." People treat him like a slave. This book will convert you into a person who speaks out for Negros, even today. You will no longer be able to tolerate racial jokes.
But what about Nat King Cole?.......2007-07-28
Read for the first time in the early 1960's when the only contact we had with Black people in Small Town, Wisconsin, was an occasional Nat King Cole record, this book had a profound affect on me. It was the only book I ever read, flipped back, immediately, to the beginning and read again, so great was it's impact. Griffin's story of his encounters with Southern Whites (first as a White Man and then as a Black) in the days of segregation really opened my eyes to a kind of behavior with which I, as a young reader, was not familiar. While it's for certain that racism in Northern Wisconsin existed,it took the form of the "out of sight,out of mind" variety (but God forbid that they ever got any farther north than Milwaukee...). It was not mentioned, but it was there simmering. Griffin's expose, for me, knocked any practice of racism, benign or otherwise, flat on its ass; it made very real the kind of hateful hypocrisy that lies behind an otherwise respectful U.S. of A. citizenry. As I traveled through the South with Griffin, I began to feel the same sense of revulsion the author feels; how could such a thing be? To my young mind it was a mystery. Would Nat King Cole, who everybody loved, be treated like that? And so the seeds of empathy for the oppressed were planted within me (along with a dose of healthy skepticism regarding the nature of man). As I looked at the book again recently, I thought about how lucky I was to have read the book when I did; if I hadn't read it when I did, I might be a very different man today.
Great before, Great again.......2007-06-05
I read this book as a teenager many years ago, and my teenage son is reading it now. I re-read it with him and it's as great today as it was then!
Olga, Artemio, Mariela, and Marisol's reviews.......2007-05-30
The book Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin is about how the author, John Howard Griffin, goes from being a white, honorable journalist to a black journalist. He transforms through a series of aid medication and dye. He changes his color pigment from white to black. In the book, he transforms completely. He keeps a diary on his daily experiences, experiences hard to imagine. The diary documents his experiences as a black male trying to survive the crucial racist reality in the Deep South in the late decade of the 1950's and early 1960's. He transforms from a man who is able to get what he wants when he wants it, to someone who faces restrictions when going into places and doing what he wants.
This book is an excellent way to show people of the United States the crucial reality of, not only the experiences of a black male, but of the whole entire ethnic group. I think this book is an excellent way to portray and show racism at a first glance. John knows the risk he is taking when he decides to go undercover as a black male in the Deep South, but he still goes ahead and does it. The truth is very harsh, but he still writes it. He opens a discussion among people of this crucial reality: that Blacks face discrimination in the simplest forms of life. He opens up the dormant eyes of every American in the country. This is an excellent book. -by Olga
The book Black Like Me talks about a lot of discrimination. John Howard Griffin is the author and he writes about himself and the reasons why he changed from white to black. He wanted to be black and he decides to change how he looks and go to other places where nobody will know him. When he is black, he tests racism because he isn't like the other white people. The racism in the book Black Like Me is against black people for how they look.
The book makes me question why people discriminate against other people. Everyone is human, everyone has feelings and everyone should have the same rights in this world. When he is white he is able to do what ever he wants and when he is black, he is restricted from doing a lot of things. People look at him differently for how he looks. People make racist comments and he feels bad for why people are like that. -by Artemio
The book Black Like Me is very interesting. It is about a white man named John Howard Griffin that wants to change his skin color to black. He changes his white skin color to black because he wants to experience how black people were treated around 1959. It is something brave to do, because when he changes his color he goes through a lot of discrimination. He actually feels how other people from a different race are treated so badly.
John Griffin is a businessman but he is no one when he changes his skin color. He has a wife and kids that he loves very much. He leaves that behind for some time just to feel how black people are treated. He is known as a black person and it goes really badly because he can't do what he would do if he was a white man. After being black, he finally realizes it is not easy being a black person. He feels bad for blacks; he can't believe they are treated so badly.
In my opinion this book is very interesting. This book shows a good example of racism. It also shows that there are white people that care about black people because of what John Griffin did. John Griffin is a man that understands what black people were going through and it was something brave for him to do.
These are three examples from the book that support my personal statement. One of them is that John Griffin tells his friend about what he is going to do with his color skin. His friend says he is crazy but John doesn't care. He still does it. Second, when John changes his color, people treat him badly but there are actually other people that help him out. The third example is that John has to get used to being black because he can't do what he used to do when he was a white person. These are my three examples that support my personal statement. -By Mariela
The book Black Like Me is about John Howard Griffin, the author, and his life. It all starts by him wanting to change his skin color through treatment/medication. He wants to change his color to a black person because he wants to see how people from his opposite color are treated. While he is living like a black person, he sees many differences between when he was white and then black. When Griffin was first white, he could go anywhere he wanted like fancy restaurants, sit on the buses with no trouble and stop where he wanted. He could also change checks into money. When Griffin changes his color to black, he can't sit in the park comfortably without being criticized by a white person. He is discriminated against, and he can't change a check into cash like he could when he was white. The main idea in this book Black Like Me is that black people are and were discriminated against currently and in the late 1950s while doing the same acts that white people do.
I thought this book was interesting. I liked learning about John Howard Griffin's opinions/thoughts/experiences in his life. He goes through being black and seeing how blacks are treated. At the same time, I think he is the kind of guy that didn't judge people based on color. He cared about everybody, no matter what. For him, everybody is family. When Griffin was white he could go to fancy restaurants, stay in nice hotels, and have a great time outside without being discriminated against. After Griffin's medication darkens his color, he has to get comfortable with the reality that blacks get treated differently. John Howard Griffin was white and wanted to see from his own perspective how black people were treated. -by Marisol
Must read.......2007-04-16
Almost too incredible to believe, I couldn't put Black Like Me down. I read it in high school and again about seven years later. I appreciated it even more the second time. Highly recommended!
Book Description
"A wonderfully unique resource for women who are continually searching for new insights in the area of woman-affirming faith and worship."
--Reverend Sharon Vandegrift
United Methodist Chaplain
Drexel University
Childhood religious images of judgment, punishment, unworthiness, and shame, of male saviors, messiahs, and Higher Powers, pursue all women into adulthood. Many women realize they must leave behind these traditional concepts and images for a more authentic spirituality. Yet they find, to their dismay, that the male symbols of God are deeply rooted in their psyches and difficult to transform.
In this book, the poignant personal memories of women of all ages and lifestyles are interwoven with the collective story of women buried in the Hebrew Scriptures and the Christian Bible. Together, these women explore the lost glory of Eve, Lilith, and Mary. They teach us to plumb the depths of our relationships with our mothers, our bodies, and ourselves; our sexuality and vulnerability; and our journey into old age. Each chapter offers a rich tapestry of poetry, ritual, story, and meditation, a splendid invitation to join a circle of women in search of woman-affirming spirituality.
"Patricia Lynn Reilly guides her readers towards solutions. . . .This book is an excellent map filled to overflowing with provocative exercises and concrete suggestions."
--Gloria Karpinski
Author of Where Two Worlds Touch:
Spiritual Rites of Passage
"It beautifully combines the best of the poignant with the best of the practical and the political."
--Publishers Weekly
Customer Reviews:
A Must Read .......2005-07-03
for women recovering from the abuses of the church and relationships. It really touched my heart as a woman from a traditional religous path with devastating results. This book is very empowering and does a great job of handing the responsibility back to women for thier lives and thier spiritual growth. The author understand the hows and whys of this loss. This book has helped me understand myself more and more. It gets to the root of the issue which is where real change can begin. I will be purchasing this one for the public library hoping that a younger woman will read it. It is a life changing book. After this one read The Dance of The Disident Daughter by Sue Monk Kidd. I stand taller and hold my head up higher than I have ever done in my life. Blessings.
inspiring.......2000-01-19
I recommend this book to women of all religions that have questions and problems with religious dogma. The writer uses a lot of examples of abused women but, I think she is just expressing her own experiences and that is what makes this book so real. I actually had tears in my eyes when I read one prayer in this book, and I was on a public bus! I will read this book again and again for spiritual comfort. I think this book has something important to say for women - no matter how cynical they may be about organized religions!
Beautiful cover and intriguing title............1999-11-11
First, I found out this book is being reprinted in November of 1999 and will be available in bookstores late November. Its a good book. I liked it and learned more about how I could embrace God and heal the deep religious wounds of my childhood. Thanks, Patricia, for taking the time to write this compelling and challenging book. I always thought that if there was a God, he/she would have to be bigger than the limited and unembracable god I learned about in catholic school. This book dosen't put down religion, it challenges each of us to see that a God crafted by men is a limited God. And to search for God and spirituality that will truly heal us.
Just the title gave me an option!.......1999-11-04
I really enjoyed this book and even gave it to our community library. The author does a great job of outlining the problems using stories from people in her groups, and then she shows how to put that behind you and find a God who you can really relate to. It was so refreshing to to read a well written book by an educated and knowledgable women on this subject. I went on to read all of her books and heard her speak. Every book continues to develop this theme of embracing a larger view of god and ourselves.
Disappointing and sexist.......1999-05-18
What Reilly says in 350 pages could have easily been condensed into a chapter or two. This book dwells on abuses suffered by some women, and is quite biased in implying that female children are the only ones who suffer neglect, abuse, and disappointment at the hands of their parents or other influential adults. I found most of the subject matter depressing (and redundant). I believe feminists should acknowledge what has occured in women's lives in the past, but also must note the present and look toward the future, striving to support the women they supposedly want to inspire, instead of asking them to relive past trauma on a regular basis in the name of feminism!
Amazon.com
Dorling Kindersley Publishers never fail to create beautiful, engaging children's books, packed with fascinating information. In Celebrations, photographer Barnabas Kindersley teams up with writer Anabel Kindersley and UNICEF to create a fascinating journey exploring the cultural traditions of children all over the world. Harry Belefonte notes in his introduction, "Here is your opportunity to travel by book to nearly every corner of the globe ... [and] join children everywhere in celebrating important events in their lives." In addition to photographs of traditional costumes and customs, each child from the wide range of countries represented gives a first-person account of how holidays are celebrated. Children will enjoy learning about how kids like just like them have fun, and in the process will broaden their cultural horizons. (Ages 8 to 12)
Customer Reviews:
Very interesting and joyful.......2005-04-27
This is a very interesting book, with wonderful pictures and lots of joy. It's a book that makes you happy. Many of the celebrations were unknown to me, and it was fun to see that the Swedish celebration of St. Lucia is described correctly in the book (I'm Swedish).
The only doubtful thing about this book is that the mix of different religions isn't very good. Most celebrations are Christian or Hindu - only one is Muslim and none is purely Buddhist. That's a bit of a pity. Anyway, great book.
Get your kids involved!.......2004-11-06
A visually-rich companion peice to this wonderful kid-friendly introduction to world politics and cultures is "For a Better World: Posters from the United Nations" by Edward Marks. More than half the posters feature the worlds' children and the plights they face, each in an artistic creation that inspires hope. What better way to educate children that "no human is an island"?
Gorgeous full-color large photos.......2004-01-15
I love this book and I use it all the time to teach children about other faiths and cultures. The beautiful, realistic photos make it great for sharing. When I am not using it, it makes a nice coffee table book. My only criticism is that it always makes me want to research more (not a lot of text, but the photos and illustrations make it worth having).
I love this book!.......2003-09-03
The photos are vivid and the stories are interesting. This is a great book to introduce children to some festivals and celebrations around the world.
What's missing?.......2002-07-25
I returned my copy. A book that aims to celebrate diversity should not be a vehicle for a political agenda. The two Jewish holidays covered in the book (Channukah and Purim) are described as holidays celebrated in the US and England, respectively. Israel, the Jewish state, is not mentioned anywhere is the book. Denial of its existence is a political statement that has no place in a book such as this.
Book Description
A psychologically wise guide to helping multiracial children of all ages develop confidence and a healthy understanding of their uniqueness.
"Am I black or white or am I American?" "Why don't my eyes look like yours?" "Why do people always call attention to my 'different' hair?" Helping a child understand his mixed racial background can be daunting, especially when, whether out of honest appreciation or mean-spiritedness, peers and strangers alike perceive their features to be "other." Drawing on psychological research and input from over fifty multiracial families, Does Anybody Else Look Like Me? addresses the special questions and concerns facing these families, explaining how we can best prepare multiracial children of all ages to make their way confidently in our color-conscious world. From the books and toys to use in play with young children, to advice on guiding older children toward an unflappable sense of self, Does Anybody Else Look Like Me? is the first book to outline for parents how, exactly, to deflect the objectifying attention multiracial children receive. Full of powerful stories and counsel, it is sure to become the book adoptive and birth parents of different races alike will look to for understanding as they strive to raise their children in a changing world.
Customer Reviews:
Very interesting and well written resource!.......2007-03-14
I have been in an interracial relationship in the past but am currently single and sometimes dating. Sometimes I think about the possibility of marrying out of my race (I am a black-african woman) because of (and in spite of) my previous failed relationship (I guess I'm hard-headed). Over the years I have realized that multiracial situations are filled with unspoken conflicts and tensions and anxieties because this world is economically racist and exploitative... Where people live, how people live, what they do for a living all has to do with their race or ethnicity. It's really deep.
This book doesn't sugar-coat or minimize the experiences of mixed families and peoples. With these relationships the conflicts and tensions do come out in the form of hurtful, mean words, sentiments, and actions. It was so shocking to read about some of these experiences. Someone actually yelled "Eeeww!" out of a car at a mixed black (woman) white (man) family. Another child made negative comments about northern asian eyes that traumatized the author's more Japanese-looking son. There's a real lack of ACCEPTANCE with mixed peoples and couples. It's surreal!!! I think maybe people have a mental block about it or something. People are so focused on their own frame of reference.
The book is good because her writing is really honest and intelligent. She has wonderfully organized chapters including one on improving the education curriculum to be more accepting of multiracial families. I am getting my teacher certification in the next year so this book gave me info that will help me understand the backgrounds of some of my future students. There is a lot of good info on the little things I never knew about like how some very young mixed kids identify race with gender. The chapter on Adolescence delves into the STEPS TO IDENTITY-FORMATION, dating, and more. I recommend it!
Highly recommend.......2006-05-16
As the mother of 4 beautiful biracial children, I was delighted to find this intelligent, realistic book. My children are often asked "What are you?" and attempts are made to label them as Arabic, Latin, Greek,Black, Italian, etc, etc. This makes it difficult for them when they are at ages where all of us were trying to "find ourselves". My daughter has also had a difficult time, often meeting women who instantly dislike her based on her appearance alone. This book was refreshing and helped me to realize others go thru the same. I was amazed at the amount of research and fact finding this author included. The everyday anecdotes was also most truthful, speaking from personal experience. great find for anyone who knows, loves, interacts with those of more than 1 race!!
Well Written and Informative Guide.......2006-03-21
Being a member of a multi-ethnic family myself, I purchased this book to help teach some people in my life what it is like to grow up in such a family.
This book has been an excellent resource because it touches on the many topics involved including terminology, answering the "What are you? question, dating, etc...
The author of the book did alot of research including interviewing members of many different multi-racial and bi-racial families.
This book focuses on empowering members of multi-racial and bi-racial families to be proud of who they are and gives advice about how to handle in a positive light some of the negative situations they may encounter. The book particularly focuses on helping to raise multi-racial and bi-racial children who are happy, well adjusted, and have high self-esteem.
I highly recommend this book.
excellent book for parents.......2003-11-30
Thank goodness this isn't another academic tome dealing with racial tensions and ethnicity in the U.S. Finally, we have a book geared for parents that is intelligent, informed and useful. The scripts alone--Ms. Nakazawa's suggestions for what to say to children in response to (or in anticipation of) challenging situations--are worth the price of the book. I know of at least one school that is giving away free copies of this book to all the parents of multiracial and transracially adoptive children in their school. I hope, for the sake of our children, that more schools will get the word out about this book.
Interesting.......2003-10-04
This book was very well-intentioned. For the most part, I found it interesting and informative, but I wouldn't say that this book fully teased out the implications of what it means to have a multi-racial child. I didn't give this book five stars because I found it seemed to lack direction. This book was quite anecdotal, and lacked sophisticated nuance and understanding in ethnic identity. This book was obviously written from the point of a parent versus an academic who might interrogate and investigate race and ethnicity on a different level.
Amazon.com
Actor Jamie Lee Curtis and winsome illustrator Laura Cornell continue their successful collaboration (Today I Feel Silly, When I Was Little, et al.) with this paean to poise and self-assurance, I'm Gonna Like Me.
The duo sets out to "let off a little self-esteem" by following a seriously self-actualized (and gratifyingly quirky) boy and girl throughout their day on alternating pages. The kids take turns carrying the lines, often switching off midsentence, to describe exactly how and why "I'm gonna like me." (Girl: "I'm gonna like me / when I'm called on to stand. / I know all my letters / like the back of my hand." Boy: "I'm gonna like me / when my answer is wrong, / like thinking my ruler / was ten inches long.") The call and response continues through the action-packed day, as the kids get up, go to school, have lunch, go to a birthday party, etc., until they finally get tucked in--so no opportunity for building self-esteem gets overlooked.
Young readers will like Curtis's words and the rhythmic repetition, but it's Cornell's scribbling, reminiscent of the New Yorker's Roz Chast, that makes the book stand out. From an imagined fashion-show runway walk (love that snooty fashion press) to a hilarious lunch table spread (got to get some of that "Cup o' Lettuce" and "Pork by the Foot" for your Doris Day lunch box), Cornell fills the book with funny faces and lots of laughs (the best of which might be the girl's pet turtle working out in a cage with a treadmill, next to a book titled "Exercising Your Illegal Turtle"). (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes
Book Description
Celebrate liking yourself! Through alternating points of view, a girl's and a boy's, Jamie Lee Curtis's triumphant text and Laura Cornell's lively artwork show kids that the key to feeling good is liking yourself because you are you. Like the duo's first New York Times best-seller, Today I Feel Silly and Other Moods That Make My Day, this is an inspired book to rejoice in and share. I'm Gonna Like Me will have kids letting off some self-esteem in no time!
Customer Reviews:
Good Choice.......2007-01-07
This was purchased for our grandson. He enjoys having it read to him and once again, when he can read it on his own, hopefully will continue to appreciate the intended message.
You're Gonna Like This Book!.......2007-01-04
I'm Gonna Like Me is a cute, engaging and esteem building book that is a pleasure to read. The age range listed for this is 4-8, but I really think this is one of those books that is a perfect read aloud (especially given that most kids up to age 8 can't read cursive and half the text/font is cursive) for 0-6, kids older than that probably aren't going to be as engaged in the message of the book, as was the case with my kids. My 6 year old loved it, but my 8 year old didn't enjoy the story as much, though she did enjoy pouring over the pictures with her brother (and reading him the badges and stuff) after the reading and they got a good chuckle out of all the zany and vivid imagery used.
In the end, the message given is one that is necessary, especially for younger children and would make for good story time discussion with kids ages 4-6 and maybe a little older...there's nothing intrinsically wrong with you if you get an answer wrong, someone doesn't like you or you get picked last. The message is that these things don't FEEL so great, but they don't affect who you are or your worth as a person and that is a strong, positive message. I give it 4 stars, a great message that can't be stressed enough to young children...to appreciate who you are and try all the things you wan to try because even when you're wrong, you learn from it!
Great .......2005-10-08
This book was a new one to me and one that I will use year after year with my class.
Kids and adults alike loved it.
I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem.......2005-09-14
As a psychotherapist specializing in children, this is a lovely fun book for reinforcing self esteem and helping us accept our foibles.
My preschooler loves this book (and so do I)!.......2005-06-07
Being a kid is tough. You have peer pressure, bullies, and loads of other stuff to deal with. This book teaches kids a valuable lesson - you are who you are and you're fabulous just as you are!
You can never praise your kids too much. You can never give your kids enough positive reinforcement. Life is rough enough without parents adding to it. Give your kids hugs, tell them that you love them, and tell them that they are worthy of love and respect. You can NEVER give your kid enough emotional support.
This book has an awesome message and I highly recommend it!
Book Description
Told in his own words, a very personal story from the star of many beloved and classic comedies, including Young Frankenstein, The Producers, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate FactoryGene Wilder is one of the great comic actors who defined the 1970s and 1980s in movies. From his work with Woody Allen, to the rich group of movies he made with Mel Brooks, to his partnership on screen with Richard Pryor, Wilder's performances are still discussed and celebrated today. KISS ME LIKE A STRANGER is an intimate glimpse of the man behind the image on the screen. In this book, Wilder talks about everything from his experiences in psychoanalysis to why he got into comedy-his first goal was to be a Shakespearean actor-to how a midwestern childhood with a sick mother changed him. He writes about the creative process on stage and on screen, and divulges moments from life on the sets of some of the most iconic movies of our time. He also opens up about his search for love and his marriages, including his marriage to comedienne Gilda Radner. But the core of KISS ME LIKE A STRANGER is an actor's search for truth and a thoughtful analysis of why the choices he made-some of them so serendipitous they were practically accidental-changed the course of his life.
Customer Reviews:
Gene Wilder - Actor, Comedian, Human.......2007-08-21
I am amazed at the negative commentary about this book. I loved Gene Wilder the actor before I picked up the book and love him after having read the book.
We are all a mishmash of polar opposites -we can go from being egocentric, narcissistic, to benevolent, tender and compassionate ... all in a single day. It is as if you are disappointed to find out that Gene Wilder is simply a real human being. Making him something else is about your pathology, not his.
I think it took a lot of courage for him to be vulnerable and revealing. It is a literary voyage alongside a fellow sojourner who gives to us what he may still be searching for. His failures at loving may be different than our own, but don't kid yourself, we all fail. No rocks here, just a "thank you" for the joy he has given, and warm wishes as he struggles toward the very light we all aim for - love.
Great book Jerry!
Audio Version is a MUST HAVE.......2007-07-19
If you're curious about the life of Gene Wilder (and you should be) pick up the AUDIO VERSION of Kiss Me Like A Stranger, read by Gene himself. It is altogether warm, funny, sad, insightful, intelligent and candid. The only problem with it is that I am on disc 4 out of 6 and alreday I am wishing it was longer, I do not want it to end. Otherwise I couldn't be happier with this purchase and will be giving this gem of an audio book as a gift to several people. Go ahead and treat yourself.
I read these reviews---makes me feel like I can't trust reviews in the future!.......2007-07-08
I read Gilda Radner's book, "It's Always Something" which she completed only weeks before she died. And so when I was recently taking a flight, I picked up Gene Wilder's book to read on the plane. Sadly, I DID need another book on the way back. This one won't take you cross country.
There are two camps in these reviews. People who blindly give this book 5 stars and say they love Gene Wilder. But they never actually tell us what they thought was so great about this book. WHY do they give it five stars?
The other group, generously giving this book 2 stars, comments on his narcissism, his unwillingness to feel needed by anyone in his life, his current wife's greatest asset being that she hangs poetry on her refrigerator reminding her she is on her own.
Here's the thing. Gilda Radner loved Gene Wilder unconditionally, even to the day she died. She loved every thing about him, even his insistence on pushing her away. She loved the way he smelled, his looks, his humor, his mind, his character. She loved him totally. Gene Wilder on the other hand, doesn't seem to have loved her at all. He seems at best to have tolerated her---and that not very well or consistently. In one chapter he describes not having had sex with Gilda for about 6 months, (because she had had a grapefruit sized tumor removed from her body, was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation!) and perhaps as a tribute to what he sees as his own nobility, comments that he didn't ask her to "relieve" him in other ways. He then goes on to describe how, as a result of his deprivation he was of course immediately attracted to the woman who became his fourth wife, when he saw her skirts swishing about her legs.
Gilda was sick in bed having chemotherapy, and he is having dinner in a new woman's apartent. And then, when Gilda dies, he discusses with his therapist whether it's too soon for him to get married again, because the tabloids might make him look like a selfish jerk (Because he IS one!).
Look, I am all in favor of celebrity memoirs. Their artistic and celebrated lives create narratives of experience that we don't normally have access to. I like to read the kinds of books that give insight into famous people and in the circles in which they work and live, and I especially enjoy one person's reactions to them. Shelley Winters' three part autobiography revealed so much about the theatre scene of New York in the 50's, so much about her roommate, Marilyn Monroe, and so much about "the method". I felt as though I learned something in reading those books.
Here I learned that a Gilda Radner was sadly mistaken in whom she chose to love, and maybe the best book to read would have been one from HER therapist. I'd like to understand how someone so consumed with love could have chosen someone so consumed with avoiding it. It's pretty easy to understand why Gene Wilder, one of the greatest narcissists ever, would have chosen Gildan Radner---America's sweetheart who adored HIM above all others. When I put this book down, I felt disgust.
Truthful and honest.......2007-04-29
This was one the the best autobiographies/memiors I have ever read. Heartfelt and very touching Mr. Wilder has so many good insights on life. Extremely funny and at times heartbreaking it is a very quick read on which you do not want to put down. Its a must read for any fan.
Hearing him talk abou the book was more fun than reading it.......2007-03-19
I bought this book after hearing Gene Wilder on the radio, and found the book itself less compelling than the interview. I assume part of the blame since it's probably not right to expect people to reveal every detail of their lives simply because they are famous, but then again, if you are famous and you write a memior a certain amount of kiss and tell is expected. It does not have to compromise one's personal life, though. I would like to have known more, for instance, about the writing process for Young Frankenstein, the working relationship with Mel Brooks, how the actor's craft meshes with the screenwriter's, and how that all translates to what happens on the set. After reading this, I am not as well acquainted with Mr. Wilder's talents as I had hoped.
Book Description
Breakthrough book provides life-changing insights for Christians trapped between the grace-killers of self-adequacy and self-righteousness. Embrace the truth that humility and righteousness begin on the inside.
Customer Reviews:
OK I HAD To Change The Title of This Review.......2007-08-04
I scanned the book, looked over the chapter titles, etc. I sat down and began to read. A catchy review title popped into my head, "Just ONE Problem". I continued to read. The Book is great. The style is easy to read. The chapters are well laid out. The scholarship is above average. I WAS going to say that it had just ONE problem, those who most need to read it are least likely to do so. There's nothing that will make a Pharisee much angrier than use of the word "Pharisee".
THEN the book shifted gears. I began to realize that it was not so much aimed at correcting the negative actions done by angry religious pharisees as offering hope for greater maturity to those willing to accept God's grace. The key to this book is not the flamboyant title, "12 Steps for the Recovering Pharisee" but the smaller subtitles, "like me: Finding Grace to Live Unmasked".
The person who most needed to read this book WAS reading it and preparing a review! I am glad that someone gave this book to me. I suggest that everyone willing to read it should, but read it for yourself, not to throw literary stones at others.
headache.......2007-05-07
THe book was okay. By the time I got to the 6th step I had a headache. I know we are all sinful at the heart and are capable of even murder but some the chapters seemed to create areas of guilt that mature Christian should have overcome through Christ. Even though I know that we all sin and need to be examining ourselves daily for cleansing I did not feel cleansed after reading the book. It felt like a pharisee rebuking another pharisee. We all deal with pharisee-like behavior but I think reading the Bible is the way to deal with it.....not a "12 step" program from another pharisee's mind. Go to God's Word!!!!!!
This is a must read for anyone trying to be a "better" person.......2007-03-02
This is an excellent book as it points out how we all constantly judge people to either make ourselves feel better or to justify certain things we do. Most people are not aware that they are doing this that extensively, but they are. To make the best effort to eliminate this bad habit from our lives we must rely on God's Grace and not try to go it alone as we will end up failing and then justifying our failures instead of relying on the grace of God for forgiveness and the strength to keep on trying. We all need to improve ourselves as people and Christians and not compare ourselves to others as this hides our need to improve. Read the book. I am not explaining it that well.
A Book for Everyone.......2006-06-21
This is a book for everyone. In fact, if you don't think you need to read it then you probably need to most of all.
The setup of the book is a play off of the classic 12 step programs used by AA and such. It is a tongue in cheek approach that turned me off initially. But in the end I found it to be a very appropriate and efficient way for the author to organize his ideas.
Excellent Book about re-thinking Christian Love.......2005-09-08
This book is great at demonstrating that we can all be judgemental at times. John Fischer tells personal stories that are very vulnerable and hit close to home. It is very encouraging and convicting to think about loving like Jesus does rather than picking apart anyone who is different. He uses the 12-step recovery model to show that it takes some real effort and honest self-evalutation to move from being a person who lives to do everything "right" to a person who is forgiven and ready to give grace and love to others instead.
Books:
- Why Good People Do Bad Things: Understanding Our Darker Selves
- Your Favorite Seuss: A Baker's Dozen by the One and Only Dr. Seuss
- Zero at the Bone: Rewriting Life after a Snakebite
- A Summer Bright and Terrible: Winston Churchill, Lord Dowding, Radar, and the Impossible Triumph of the Battle of Britain
- A Tangled Web (Star Wars: Last of the Jedi, Book 5)
- A Trick Of The Eye: Trompe L'oeil Masterpieces
- A Volcano In My Tummy: Helping Children to Handle Anger
- Abuela (English Edition with Spanish Phrases) (Picture Puffins)
- All That Remains: A Scarpetta Novel (Kay Scarpetta Mysteries)
- And Suddenly the Inventor Appeared: TRIZ, the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving
Books Index
Books Home
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- Molecular Biology of the Cell, Fourth Edition
- Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream
- Carmen Miranda Paper Dolls in Full Color
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America
| Race Relations
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
The Heart of Whiteness: Confronting Race, Racism And White Privilege
Affirmative Action: Racial Preference in Black and White (Positions: Education, Politics and Culture)
White Privilege: Essential Readings on the Other Side of Racism
Black Like Me
"Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?": A Psychologist Explains the Development of Racial Identity
